WND EXCLUSIVE

The reason 200 million girls have 'vanished'

'Of course they don't want people to know the brutal truth'

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially.

The “deadliest words in the world” have been unveiled in a new documentary film about the reason why an estimated 200 million females have “disappeared.”

They are: “It’s a girl.”

Reggie Littleton, president of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, was recently in Hong Kong for the premier of the new project tellingly titled, “It’s a Girl.” She told WND it appears the world is becoming increasingly more aware of the violence perpetrated against infant girls in China and elsewhere.

Chinese officials said couples now will be allowed two children if either of the parents is an only child. Before the change, both parents were required to be only children.

However, Littlejohn pointed out forced abortion remains in place.

“Regardless of the number of children allowed, women who get pregnant without permission will still be dragged out of their homes, strapped down to tables and forced to abort babies that they want, even up to the ninth month of pregnancy,” she said.

“It does not matter whether you are pro-life or pro-choice on this issue. No one supports forced abortion, because it is not a choice.”

WND reported Wang Pei’an, deputy director of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, told the Chinese news agency Xinhua that “the number of couples covered by the new policy is not very large across the country.”

In an interview with WND, Littlejohn said it’s important to show people the horrors of the forced abortion policies.

Statements such as the recent one by Chinese officials are attempts, she believes, to distract people from the violence.

“Of course they don’t want people to know the brutal truth,” she said.

The “It’s a Girl” project is supported by Amnesty International.

Littlejohn’s remarks at the film opening were broadcast into China. She has testified on the issue before Congress, the European Parliament, the British Parliament, United Nations and the Vatican.

“I am thrilled to come to Hong Kong at the invitation of Amnesty International and to speak at the Hong Kong premiere of ‘It’s a Girl,'” she said.

She noted the timing of her visit, just after China’s announcement of a modification of its one-child policy.

“I was able to discuss with the human rights community in Hong Kong that this is not a major step forward, as touted by the media,” she said. “Rather, it is a minor modification that will not end forced abortion or gendercide in China.

“We need to continue the battle to end these atrocities,” she said.

See Women’s Rights Without Frontiers explain “gendercide”:

Littlejohn said that because of gendercide, an estimated 37 million Chinese men will never marry “because their future wives were terminated before they were born.”

“This gender imbalance is a powerful, driving force behind trafficking in women and sexual slavery, not only in China, but in neighboring nations as well,” Littlejohn said.

“For most of us, hearing ‘it’s a girl’ is cause for enormous joy, happiness and celebration. But in many countries, this announcement is a death sentence,” she wrote.

“This should not be a pro-choice or a pro-life issue. This is a human rights issue. Gendercide is violence against women and girls. No one supports the systematic elimination of females,” the report said.